The P Economy

[papi]

What really amazes me about Costa Rica are what can mostly be described as men with 0 game coming here for the chicas.  The majority don’t speak any Spanish, wear shorts, sandals…you get the picture. Most of these men are married or have little interest in a MOB.  Some of them do have a clue on Latin America, speak Spanish, get hooked up but the vast majority while very likeable fellows are not for the most part like the guys going to Colombia. And what they spend, well the agencies all put together is nothing compared to the business here from small hotels providing rooms, food, booze, to large well-known establishments making millions on gringos.  Besides the chicas some do come  here for the fishing too. The balance of tourists are your Eco type and exploring what is a very beautiful country. But "gringo gulch" in San Jose while helping to drive the economy does not necessarily shed the best light on gringos.

[doombug]

I honestly don't get a kick out of harping on the gringo tourist much. Maybe I've deluded myself into believing that the great majority of them--us--are too well intentioned to deserve such relentless criticism. (Though I've always preferred going my own way when travelling. Nevertheless, a couple of years ago, while browsing through the aisles of one of the local libraries, I happened upon a book by P.J. O'rourke. As I thumbed through its pages, trying to gain a sense of the guy's political stance, I came across this quote (the book was, "Age and Guile Beat Youth, Innocence, and a Bad Haircut") and quickly jotted it down for perpetuity sake:

"It's amazing how decent, middle-class Americans, enjoying themselves in a harmless way, create a more repulsive atmosphere than dope smugglers, drunks, sex deviants, and coke heads ever did."

While we're on the subject of travel, here's another charished quote of mine (a Peruana sent me this three or four years ago) by my favorite writer, Gabriel García Márquez. If you no comprende español, or are still in the process of learning, I'd advise the neophyte to use a translator. This one's worth it:

"Viajar" 

Viajar es marcharse de casa,
es dejar los amigos 
es intentar volar 
volar conociendo otras ramas 
recorriendo caminos 
es intentar cambiar. 
Viajar es vestirse de loco 
es decir "no me importa" 
es querer regresar. 
Regresar valorando lo poco 
saboreando una copa, 
es desear empezar. 

Viajar es sentirse poeta, 
es escribir una carta, 
es querer abrazar. 
Abrazar al llegar a una puerta 
añorando la calma 
es dejarse besar. 

Viajar es volverse mundano 
es conocer otra gente 
es volver a empezar. 
Empezar extendiendo la mano, 
aprendiendo del fuerte, 
es sentir soledad. 

Viajar es marcharse de casa, 
es vestirse de loco 
diciendo todo y nada con una postal,
Es dormir en otra cama, 
sentir que el tiempo es corto, 
viajar es regresar.